VOTE: New Arundel bypass bid

THE battle to build an Arundel bypass received a renewed boost after Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert joined businesses and council leaders in their campaign.

Mr Herbert chaired a summit meeting with councillors and business organisations to discuss the future of the A27 Arundel bypass.

The meeting, at Arun Civic Centre, Littlehampton, was attended by 20 people representing Arun District Council, West Sussex County Council, Horsham District Council, Arundel Town Council and Sussex Enterprise. During the meeting, plans for the long-proposed “pink blue” route for a full bypass of the town were unanimously backed.

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There was strong opposition to proposals for a so-called ‘online’ road improvement along part of the A27 and the existing town bypass.

Although this was deemed a cheaper option than an offline bypass, it was felt that it would be intrusive and cut the town even more in two than currently the case.

Mr Herbert urged members attending the meeting to keep the A27 on the agenda.

He said: “There remains a strong environmental and economic case for an Arundel bypass. Rat-running through Arundel and the downland villages is very damaging, and the local economy is harmed by such a poor road link.

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“The A27 should be a coastal highway, but too often it’s a coastal car park.”

Mark Froud, chief executive of Sussex Enterprise, welcomed the support from Mr Herbert, adding: “We have campaigned heavily over the years for improvements to the A27 at Arundel, as we believe that alleviating congestion along this route is paramount.

“The problem of congestion along this stretch of road and its negative impact on businesses still exists and will not go away until the necessary work is carried out.”

Speaking after the meeting, Arun chief executive, Ian Sumnall, said: “It is vital to keep this important issue at the top of the agenda. The need for an Arundel bypass comes up time and time again, not just among our business and tourism community but our local residents and those who visit our district. We will continue our fight for improvements to this road network which we consider absolutely vital to the economic health and future of our district.”

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However not everybody is conviced by Mr Herbert’s proposals.

In a letter to the Gazette, former Arun District cuncillor and advocate of the Ford Eco-Town, Tony Dixon said that Arun would not receive massive investment for much-needed infrastructure such as the bypass without an increase in housebuilding.

He said: “The problem we face in Arun District is one of economic stagnation. The main reason for this is the poor infrastructure generally and in particular the lack of an Arundel bypass.”

Do you think more housebuilding should be used to fund the construction of the Arundel bypass? Cast your vote in the panel to the right of the screen and leave a comment below.

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